This caponata does not have the usual tomatoes and eggplant. Caponata is a relish of vegetables and can really include anything in season. This version is a concoction of early spring and late winter vegetables. I serve it with roasted chicken, duck and even fish. It adds springtime flair to any table and for Passover we drizzle our matzah with olive oil and herbs and then dollop some of this caponata on top of it for a crunchy snack.

Kosher Recipe

Directions cont’d

To clean the artichokes, use a paring knife to cut the outside leaves free from the body of the vegetable. Continue turning your knife around the artichoke until you have an equal amount of green leaves with yellow tops. Be sure to leave the stem intact. You can peel some of the tough green fibers from the outside. The stem gives the artichoke a pretty shape! Cut the artichoke in half lengthwise and scoop out the choke (if any) with a melon baller. Place the artichoke pieces in a bowl of cold water with lemon juice squeezed into it to keep the artichokes from turning dark.

Place a large sauté pan over medium high heat and coat the bottom lightly with olive oil. Add the fennel pieces and leeks. Sauté the vegetables until they are lightly browned and have softened. Add the garlic, tomato paste raisins and white wine. Stir together.

Transfer the mixture to the insert for the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours.

Place a small sauté pan over medium heat and add the pine-nuts. Toast the pine-nuts until they are lightly browned. Watch them carefully as then can burn quickly.

Add the pine nuts, artichokes and fresh herbs to the mixture to the mixture. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and continue cooking for an additional on HIGH.

Serve the caponata warm or cold. The caponata can be made three days before serving and stored covered in the refrigerator.

In a large sealable plastic bag, combine the onion rings, potato chips, and all the seasonings. If you like, add extra seasonings to taste. Seal the bag and crush contents until reduced to a coarse breadcrumb-like consistency. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Prepare a large baking sheet by spraying it with non-stick cooking spray. Whisk egg into a small bowl. Take a chicken skewer and dunk it in the egg, evenly coating the chicken. Gently shake off the excess liquid and then lay chicken skewer in the seasoned crumbs. Rotate the skewer pressing it into the crumbs to evenly coat the entire piece. Place the chicken on the baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the chicken skewers.

Bake in the oven for 18 to 20 minutes, carefully flipping skewers about halfway through cooking, until chicken is cooked through and coating is crispy. Cool for a few minutes. Eat plain or with duck sauce for dipping.

Shelly Anteby effortlessly breezes through each day in her classic style and always makes sure to pull off a unique and daring table setting weekly.

“I start pulling out my Shabbat table setting from Wednesday. I pull out and see what works. Its not planned. By Thursday my table is set. This week I planned a turquoise theme. You could call it Indian or Moroccan inspired, because of the turquoise color and the stones. I started with the turquoiseKim Seybertrunner and then offset it with seafoam green mother of pearl chargers as a base for each plate. I topped the chargers with clear turquoise oversized dishes that I found in IKEA.

“Last week I started to take out my props to start setting my Shabbat table. For some reason I kept getting interrupted. First the phone kept ringing. Then the doorbell, then the plumber asking questions about everything except going to the moon! It was not meant for me to finish or let alone even start! At that point, a friend stopped by with her six year old daughter and she was the one who basically told me what she liked from my dishes and napkins, and the rest of the things that you see on my table!

So there you go, its so easy to make a table work if you play with accessories in your home. Even a six year old can do it. Just don’t be intimidated . There are no rules to follow. We used a double place mat. One is brown beads and the other is sea foam green mother of pearl. I found the dishes in home goods. What a score! They had service for 24! The napkin rings are coral beads by Kim Seybert, and my six year old friend insisted on the color napkin! It was fun to see that anything she wanted to use seemed to look fine!

Defrost mazors for about 20 minutes. preheat oven to 350•. On a lightly floured surface,roll out a bit.

Cut into 3 strips lengthwise. on ungreased cookie sheet Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden. Remove,let cool. (This step may be prepared up to 2 days in advance and kept at room temp in an airtight container)

On serving platter place on layer puff pastry dollop 1/2 whipped cream mixture on top. Repeat with puff pastry and cream. Ending top layer with pastry. Garnsh with confectioners sugar on top. And a few fresh berries! Shabbat Shalom.

“Hi -I really enjoy your website and I have a delicious and easy recipe for a new twist on medias (stuffed artichoke). When I’m in a health conscience mood i bake, other times I sauté. They are really delicious and deceiving, they look like meat every time I make it, I’m asked for the recipe.” Bridget Ben-Dayan

Place frozen artichoke bottoms in a bowl and cover with boiling water,

Add lemon juice to the water. Leave the artichokes in water until tender.

Saute chopped eggplant in saucepan

When almost soft add in chopped mushrooms and continue to saute until soft.

Puree mixture with hand held mixer, add in breadcrumbs and salt to taste.

Spoon mixture into the artichoke bottoms. (If you find that your mixture is too loose, add more breadcrumbs.)

Fill a small bowl with approx 1/4 c of breadcrumbs. Dip filled artichoke, mixture side down into the bowl with breadcrumbs. Then place artichoke, mixture side down onto greased tray, use oil not spray to insure the desired texture to the top of the artichoke. Repeat for all of the artichokes, then bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

These crepe flowers are perfect to make all by yourself for a bridal shower, to top holiday desserts, send a creative hostess gift, use with a placecard holder, or infuse with bright colors for a kids birthday party! Try them on top of our Cheesecake Pops for Shavuot!.

5. pinch from the center (underneath) and twist to secure
6. feather crepe paper with fingers to create a full bloom
7. attach bloom with glue dots (and ribbon, if desired) to top of favor box
*another option: put the bloom on a cake ball lollipop

This recipe was such a hit that I decided to re-post it. Zaatar is a tangy, addictive spice that is actually a mixture of dried herbs, sesame seeds, sumac, and salt. It is a centuries-old mixture dating back to at least the 13th century. Exactly what those herbs are, and how all those ingredients are proportioned vary from culture to culture and family to family. If you would like to create your own memorable zaatar recipe, you can start HERE, and give or take a little until you create your own personal zaatar potpourri.

Great last minute yummy pizza!

Kids and adults love it- great for parties! Perfect for your Purim Seuda!!

Place tuna, scallions, soy, olive oil, sesame oil, and lemon zest in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Mix well, using your hands, to combine. Divide tuna mixture into six equal portions and form each portion into a 1/2-inch thick patty.

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add enough canola oil to coat bottom of skillet. Add patties, and cook until medium-rare, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

For the Asian Coleslaw

1 tablespoon unseasoned rice-wine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tsp honey

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)

1 bag coleslaw (shredded cabbage)

Place vinegar in small bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil to form an emulsion; add the honey and sesame; season with salt and pepper; set aside.

Just before serving, toss some coleslaw with dressing to taste.

For the Wasabi Mayonnaise:

1 large egg, room temperature

2 teaspoons unseasoned rice-wine vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

1 tablespoon wasabi paste

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

3/4 cup canola oil

Coarse salt

Directions for this Kosher Recipe

In the bowl of a small food processor, combine egg, vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce; pulse to combine. With food processor running, slowly drizzle in canola oil until mixture is emulsified. Season with salt.

Note: Raw eggs should not be used in food prepared for pregnant women, babies, young children, the elderly, or anyone whose health is compromised

To Assemble the Burgers:

Spread a tablespoon of mayonnaise on both sides of halved bun. Place one patty, topped with about ¼ cup of coleslaw.

2. This contemporary sterling silver seder plate is a stunning piece. Famed designer LellaVignelli brings her strong architectural vision to a limited collection of Judaica commissioned by The Jewish Museum. Of course its my favorite one and at $1875.00 its the most expensive!!!

3. This Spode designed seder plate is based on historic Judaic manuscripts from the 1880’s, influenced by early ceramic tile motifs,and features the traditional Judaic colors of blue and white. $103.00 available HERE.

4. A celebration of spring’s arrival, this handcrafted seder plate by American artist Melanie Dankowitz is lasercut from stainless steel. This is my second choice for prettiest seder plate, much more affordable at $254, HERE.

5. Laura Cowan makes a line of Judaica that is space-age minimalist. We love it. This seder plate design is inspired by the craters on the moon’s surface and is crafted out of polished aluminum. $199.00 available HERE.

7. Designer Jonathan Adler brings us this modern seder plate for Passover. The seder plate is crafted in glazed porcelain with real gold accents and is sure to be smashing on your holiday table. $150.00 available HERE.

8. Designer Michael Aram created this seder plate inspired by the form of pomegranates, a symbol of eternity, fertility, and plenty. It is an age old image which crosses cultures and transcends time and one of the seven species of Israel. Weaving modern thought with tradition, Aram included seven spaces rather than six, so the seder plate can hold both the six symbolic seder foods and an orange, which honors the contributions of women. $225.00 Available HERE.

9. The designers at Israel Giftware Designs is affordable and and chic. $29.99 available at Amazon.com

10. This artfully designed porcelain Seder plate has the elegance of a Michael Aram’s style and the price of

The only problem was, it called for “preferably whole wheat pastry flour”, and I only had a bag of regular whole wheat flour. I also decided to see if anyone would notice if I substituted agave nectar for sugar.

I ran out and bought buttermilk, (you can also make your own easy buttermilk HERE) and on Sunday morning the muffins were mixed, baked, and out of the oven within the hour. Cleanup was a cinch. I made a double batch. The first bunch was filled with a baked and mashed sweet potato. I topped those with leftover shredded coconut from my freezer. The second batch was mixed with 3 really ripe bananas that would have otherwise gone in the garbage. I topped them with chocolate chunks just to make sure that they didnt look too healthy.

Well, I left them all in a plate, and ran out to exercise.

Conclusion: The all time favorite was the banana chocolate. Not such a hit was the sweet potato topped with coconut.

They never even guessed that agave nectar was the sweet culprit.

This is a really great grab- and- go breakfast item for the older members of the family. I have a feeling that kids under eighth grade wouldnt go for it so early in the morning but its worth a try. This is also not a recipe for a sugar lover like my sister-in-law who would rather have a Snickers for breakfast. Give it a try!

More Kosher Recipes

Chocolate Orange Peanut Bark

Its so easy to make your own gourmet chocolates and package them yourself as a gorgeous holiday hostess gift. Inspired by Martha Stewart, I decided to create something scrumtious from scratch. Chocolate-Orange Peanut Bark – Preparation time- 25 minutes

Recipe Ingredients:

1 bag of kosher chocolate chips

1 orange

1 1/3 cups of any kind of lightly roasted nut.

1/4 tsp coarse salt

how to:

1-Chill an aluminum foil lined baking sheet . 2-Remove the zest from the orange with a vegetable peeler. Slice the zest into long pieces with a sharp knife. 3-Melt a bag of chocolate chips in a double boiler. 4-mix in half of the zest and nuts, immediately pour onto the chilled sheet and spread into a rectangle with a rubber spatula. 5-Sprinkle with remaining zest, nuts, and salt. Chill until firm. Break into pieces. May be stored in airtight container in the freezer. For a chic homemade holiday gift- package these in a tin from Atlantic Sales. Cut Parchment Paper with pinking shears and line each layer.

Wrap with cellophane and a beautiful ribbon!

Happy Holiday! Join us HERE if you would like more kosher recipes sent to your inbox!!

“Hey Marlene, I cooked up a batch of these for a sheva berachot in my house!they were a big hit. I thought you might like the photo and recipe! They’re super easy to prepare, freeze well uncooked,and are a fun addition to any type of Jewish holiday menu including Passover, Rosh Hashanah, Sukkot, Thanksgiving and Hanuka! Enjoy!” Debbie Gindi

Ground Lamb on Cinnamon Stick

1 lb ground lamb

1/4 c tart cherry juice or pomegranate juice

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/8 tsp ground cardamon

1/2 shredded or finely chopped medium onion

1/4 c toasted pine nuts

18 cinnamon sticks

Directions for this Kosher Recipe:

Combine all ingredients in a large non reactive bowl. Form into round ball shape. Firmly insert one cinnamon stick through it. Arrange on tray standing upright(At this point they may be frozen on a tray)cook in preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. May be served with apricot wasabi dipping sauce.

Apricot Wasabi Sauce:

1/2 c apricot preserve

3 TBSP soy sauce

1 TBSP wasabi sauce (such as “golds”) or Passover wasabi sauce.

Combine all ingredients together. Delicious as a dip for chicken beef and lamb.

I have a confession to make: I’m not crazy about chicken breasts. Okay, I realize this isn’t a major revelation, but for a cook/blogger who’s trying to stay healthy, it’s a bit of a challenge. Sure, I love breaded and fried chicken schnitzels — who doesn’t? But I much prefer dark meat, and often find skinless, boneless chicken breast recipes to be dry and boring.

That said, I have a lot of faith in Mark Bittman . The former author of the Minimalist column for The New York Times (and current op-ed writer) is all about simplicity. Like me, he often embraces substitutions, too.

The recipe includes an optional addition of nam pla, or fish sauce. To keep this recipe strictly kosher, I omitted that. To up the healthiness of the dish I went with light coconut milk (canned, of course :)).

As an added plus, if your are looking for some new kosher recipes for your Purim Seuda, then this one is a great choice as a main dish!

You’ll see in the recipe below how I changed things up a bit (I discovered I was out of cayenne pepper right before I started cooking). Next time I might sprinkle some peanuts on top to add a little bit of crunch.

All in all, it was a great dish. Served with coconut rice (made with leftover coconut milk and water), and steamed broccoli, I felt transported to Thailand. And that’s a good thing.

This recipe had seven ingredients including salt. That’s my kind of dish.

The coconut milk, lime zest and salt just kinda hang out on the stove for a while.

Bittman advises against flipping the chicken breasts over in the broiler. The tip must have worked because the chicken was moist, but brown and crispy on top.

Pouring the creamy sauce on the chicken. YUM!

The final product. Paired with coconut rice and broccoli, it was perfect.

1 teaspoon nam pla, fish sauce (optional) (It’s difficult to find kosher fish sauce, and if you’re making chicken, forget about it. If you substitute fish for the chicken, though, and decide to use fish sauce, I’d hold off on adding salt. Nam pla is very salty)

4 minced scallions

1/4 cup minced cilantro.

1. Remove the zest from the limes, with either a zester or a vegetable peeler (if you use a peeler, scrape off the white inside of the zest with a paring knife). Mince the zest, and juice the limes. Marinate chicken in half the lime juice while heating broiler; adjust rack to about 4 inches from heat source. (Or grill the chicken if you prefer.)

2. Warm the coconut milk over low heat; season it with salt (hold off on this if you are using nam pla) and a pinch of cayenne. Add the lime zest.

3. Put chicken, smooth side up, on ungreased baking sheet lined with foil, and place the sheet in broiler. Add about half the remaining lime juice to coconut milk mixture.

4. When the chicken is nicely browned on top, in about 6 minutes more, it is done (if you want to be sure, make a small cut in the thickest part and peek inside). Transfer chicken to a warm platter. Add the nam pla, if you are using it, to the coconut milk; taste, and adjust seasoning as necessary. Spoon a little of the sauce over and around the breasts; then, garnish with the scallions and cilantro, and sprinkle with the remaining lime juice. Serve with white rice, passing the remaining sauce.

Preheat the oven to 250ºF. Heat the oil in a wide frying or saucepan on medium-high heat. Place the flour, salt and pepper into a large plastic bag and shake. Add the kosher chicken breasts three at a time, close the bag and shake to coat. Shake off the excess flour. Add the kosher chicken breasts to the pan and cook 2-3 minutes each side until you see some browned parts. Place into a 9 X 13 oven-proof pan. Cook the rest of the breasts and then place the pan into the oven to keep warm. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook for two minutes, stirring often. Add the wine and thyme and cook for two minutes, until the wine starts to cook down a little and thicken. Add the stock and lemon juice and cook another two to three minutes until the sauce thickens a little. Remove the kosher chicken from the oven and add into the sauce, turning to coat both sides. Add salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Place into the oven until serving. About the creator of this Kosher Chicken recipe…Paula Shoyer is one of the leading kosher chefs in the Jewish foodie world. She now teaching classes in French pastry and Jewish cooking and baking to adults and kids, both in the Washington, D.C. area and all around the United States. Buy her new book The Kosher Baker: Over 160 Dairy-free Recipes from Traditional to Trendy (HBI Series on Jewish Women) on Amazon.